Morgan Justice simply wants Scott referred to as a volleyball school now.
With two state semifinal appearances in a 10-year stretch, it’s certainly something to consider.
Justice and the Eagles volleyball team eliminated Paintsville in Friday’s state quarterfinals, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18), at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester. Next is Louisville Mercy, a 3-0 winner (25-14, 25-17, 30-28) over Bowling Green, in the semifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday.
“We were always told that we were a football school,” Justice said. “Everybody at school’s talking about we’re now a volleyball school and how we’re doing so much better than we have in the past.”
Saturday is also a semifinal rematch – 10 years later. Mercy eliminated Scott, 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-14) in the 2014 semifinals.
Scott coach Andrea Sullivan was on the sidelines for both matches. She said playing Mercy this year is more satisfying.
“We’ve gone through a lot as a team,” Sullivan said. “Back in 2014, we had a really special group, like, a lot of talent. This group has a lot of talent, but we also have had to work a lot harder to get where we are.
“And I think that’s what makes it a little bit more sweeter because you know when you’re putting that much work and effort into things, to see that pay off, and to get to this point with this group of girls really means a lot.”
Scott showed significant versatility. Justice led the Eagles with 10 kills, Mylin Minor had eight, and Brooklyn Helm added seven.
Justice was a little surprised she had the most.
“I don’t think I ever have,” she said.
Ryann Grigsby led the Eagles with 21 assists, and Elise Manhardt had 11 digs.
Scott’s (31-11) obvious objective: keep the ball away from Paintsville’s Kylie Kinner and Olivia Maynard. For parts of the match, the Eagles didn’t – Kinner finished with 13 kills, and Maynard added 14.
Paintsville (26-13) hung around in the first set. Maynard’s conversion of Bailee Porter’s assist (she led the Tigers with 24) pulled her team to within 10-8.
Then Scott took off – a 15-11 string included two kills each from Justice, Minor and Jaeda Menfee. One of Helm’s’ two aces ended the set.
After Paintsville grabbed a 10-4 second-set lead on Mallory May’s kill, there were five ties and four lead changes. Kills from Minor and Justice secured the win.
“We simply got down,” Grigsby said. “We needed to fight back, but we’re yelling at each other.”
In the third set, Minor’s kill and Manhardt’s two service aces finished the match.
Scott has a shot at doing something historic – becoming the first public school to win a state tournament.
“We were saying in the locker room that, if we win, we’ll be the first public school to make it,” Justice said. “That’s a big accomplishment for all public schools.”
Sullivan’s focus, meanwhile, is narrower.
“We’re playing for ourselves and we’re playing for our school, we’re playing for our community,” Sullivan said. “We’re not necessarily playing for every other public school. We worked hard to get here; we’re playing for us.”